


The Butler and the Worm

by fieryrondo



Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Kabuto, Kamen Rider Series
Genre: Badass Butlers, Canonical Character Death, Captivity, Gen, Giant Talking Insects, Mild Gore, Torture, Worms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-13
Updated: 2013-11-23
Packaged: 2018-01-01 08:52:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 12,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1042879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fieryrondo/pseuds/fieryrondo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kabuto-verse. Pre-series. The butler is the lord's most capable man, devoted attendant and trusted keeper of confidences. But what does one do when one's lord has been replaced by a monstrous impostor? Jiiya finds himself the unwilling servant to one malicious Scorpio Worm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sister's Birthday

 

"Keep your eyes shut—no peeking,  _Onee-chan_!"

"I'm not peeking—are you leading me outside?"

"Aa, watch the step coming down."

"Can I open my eyes yet?"

"Not yet…okay, open them now.  _Onee-chan,_  happy birthday."

"This is lovely, Tsurugi!" Kamishiro Mika breathed out, fingertips to her curved lips. "How on earth—"

"We shipped the roses from Ecuador—nothing but the best roses for you," Kamishiro Tsurugi said. "I was afraid they wouldn't take to the climate here but Jiiya hired Okayama's finest horticulturist to tend to the garden. For a commoner, the horticulturist has done marvelous work."

 _Thank you, Bocchama, for generously admiring my work._ Jiiya watched with fondness as he watched his young master elegantly bow and offer a hand to his sister.

"Shall we, my lady?" Tsurugi flashed a cocky, boyish grin.

Mika giggled before accepting her little brother's hand.

"I would be honored."

Jiiya quietly slipped into the mansion to prepare the dinner arrangements.

* * *

"Jiiya, I want you to be honest with me. How bad are our finances?"

Such a topic was hardly appropriate on a birthday. Jiiya's eyes darted nervously to the living room, where Tsurugi was busy tuning his violin for an evening performance. Mika followed his gaze before sighing.

"You don't want him to know?"

Jiiya poured some steaming Earl Grey into a fancy cup. "I'm not sure if  _Bocchama_  will be ready to take the news that his coming-of-age inheritance may be much more modest than he expects."

"Jiiya…I don't think keeping it a secret will be a good idea. Though, I've never seen Tsurugi so happy before, not since our parents…"

" _Bocchama_  loves you dearly and wishes to show his affection in the way he feels most comfortable with."

"He always took our family lineage much more seriously than I did." Mika made a face. "I am always worried for him…for someone who lives in a dream, what does he do when he is forced to wake up? We need to prepare for the worst. What if a meteor were to hit Okayama, like the one in Shibuya last month?"

Jiiya offered the steaming cup of tea with practiced grace.

"Worry not, Mika-sama, I have taken measures to protect the Discabil family and its remaining fortune."

"Now that I've turned 19, I could always get a job."

Jiiya spluttered.

"Mika-sama!"

"I was just kidding, Jiiya."


	2. Angel's Face

 She scarcely had time to scream.

Scorpio Worm allowed himself the satisfaction of laughing as he slid his sharp, pointed claws into the writhing flesh of the human female. To his delight, she was perfectly soft and warm.

Not to mention squishy. That was very important.

" _Nee-san! Nee-san!_ "

 _Noisy brat_. Scorpio Worm pulled his claws out of the body, which dropped to the ground with a thump. Scorpio Worm rather liked the visual effect the blood had on his claws—red went well with his silver sheen.

" _Nee-san!_ "

It wouldn't do to keep the brat from screaming. Although the Kamishiro estate was conveniently located in a pocket of countryside isolated from the city, Scorpio did not want to risk the attention of the authorities, especially ZECT. Not that Scorpio Worm couldn't handle them, it was just annoying for his hunts to be interfered.

" _Nee-san!_ " The brat's voice pitched into satisfying whimpers when Scorpio Worm grabbed him by the throat, lifting him high in the air while relishing the brat's choking gasps for air.

_Weak and soft, just like the female._

Scorpio Worm felt a few odd thumps on his armored underbelly. Looking down, he felt a flicker of amusement at his prey's feeble attempts at freedom.

Then he rammed a spiked claw deep into the brat's chest. He let gravity do its work as he watched the brat tumble unceremoniously onto the ground by a bed of roses.

Fascinating, even in its death throes, the brat continued to mumble the same word over and over again. His face was gorgeously contorted and Scorpio Worm couldn't help but be drawn to the brat's face.

Its face was...beautiful. Not exactly in the same way the blood on his claws was beautiful or in the delightful way a female's snapped neck hung, limp and twisted, but it was similar. Scorpio tilted his head to one side—what a man he once mimicked often did when he was thinking hard about something-and searched the soup of personalities he had absorbed for the right words.

_Haru-chan's so precious, he's got the face of an angel-_

"An angel's face," Scorpio Worm said to the dying human boy. For that was why the brat was so soft. Though he was bigger than the children Scorpio Worm had absorbed, undoubtedly he was not full grown.

_And will never be full grown unless…_

Scorpio wondered what it would be like to wear the face of an angel.

" _Mika-sama! Bocchama!_ " Jiiya dropped the grocery bags he had brought as he took in the scene with horror.

Scorpio Worm beamed beatifically as he took out a silken handkerchief borrowed from its late owner to wipe his bloodstained claws—no, fingers.

"Welcome back, Jiiya."


	3. Devil's Smile

Jiiya could not decide which infuriated him more—the fact that the Worm dared sit in  _Bocchama's_  favorite armchair with such nonchalance or the fact that the Worm dared to do so while casually pouring itself a glass of the champagne Jiiya had purchased for Christmas dinner.

He finally settled on being equally angry at both actions and worked furiously to undo the ropes that bound him to the coffee table.

 _Why did Bocchama insist on getting such a heavy coffee table?_  Sweat ran down Jiiya's brow as he struggled with his restraints. So focused on the task of freeing himself Jiiya scarcely flinched as the Worm dropped the wineglass onto the floor, littering the fine carpet with glass shards and wine.

"Why do humans drink this slop—it's disgusting." A cruel smirk— _never Bocchama's_ —curled on the Worm's face. Jiiya squirmed as the Worm rose regally from the chair and—with inhuman speed—was now in front of him.

 _It really looks exactly like Bocchama_. Jiiya grunted as the Worm—still wearing Kamishiro Tsurugi's face—pulled him up, a fist curled underneath his throat.

"You're his little servant, aren't you,  _Jiiya._ " His teeth flashed and Jiiya despaired at the Worm as it bared its perfectly human, pearly white teeth in a laugh.

"Demon! You d—dare besmirch the Discabil family by wearing  _Bocchama's_  face." Jiiya gagged as the Worm tightened its grip, strangling him with his collar. Despite the pain, Jiiya mustered all the strength he could and raised his hand.

 _Sorry, Bocchama._  An inward reflex, but resolutely, the butler struck.

It was more effective than Jiiya had hoped. The Worm dropped the butler like a burning coal, screeching in anger. It shrank from Jiiya, glaring venomously, a hand to a reddening cheek.

An ironically human gesture.

"You  _slapped_  me?"

"I'll do much worse if you touch me again, Worm!" Jiiya raised his fists.

"You—I'll tear you apart!"

To Jiiya's relief, the Worm abandoned Tsurugi's form, stabbing towards him with pointed claws. Jiiya braced for the impact and twisted just in time for a claw to slice through the ropes binding him.

With a cry, Jiiya sprang to his feet and leapt toward the fireplace to snatch the poker from its stand. Brandishing the poker like a rapier, Jiiya parried the Scorpio Worm, forcing it backwards. The Worm snarled, baring its pincers, overwhelmed by Jiiya's sudden burst of strength.

 _Back…back_ …now!

The Worm roared when a chandelier—knocked down by a well-aimed poker throw—crashed down onto it.

Jiiya knew he had only a precious few seconds. The limousine keys already pocketed, the butler sprang for the door, hurriedly lifting the latch and wrenching the door open.

"Jiiya…"

Jiiya's heart almost stopped. His instincts screamed to run but before he knew it, Jiiya's treacherous neck turned round to see his young master bleeding on the floor, the chandelier frame digging into his torso.

"Help me, Jiiya…"

Like a man possessed, Jiiya lurched toward his fallen young master.

"Bocchama…"

A great pain pierced Jiiya's chest. What part was sorrow? What part was frustration? Jiiya had no time to think, only to gaze dumbly down at the long claw embedded in him.

_So fast..._

Scorpio Worm, now wearing his bocchama's face once more, grinned. A ghastly smile that revealed his bloodstained teeth.

"How could you do such a cruel thing to me,  _Jiiya_?"

Still smiling, Scorpio Worm twisted his claw deeper into the butler's body.

Overcome by pain, Jiiya fainted, welcoming the blackness of unconsciousness.


	4. Scorpion's Manservant

For the first time in his life, Scorpio Worm had no idea what to do with a dead man.

Nudging the body with one polished shoe, Scorpio Worm clucked its tongue as the body groaned. Scorpio Worm withdrew the shoe from the man and absentmindedly reminded himself that he would need to get the shoe polished, or even better, replaced.

Make that one  _almost_  dead man.

The man— _Jiiya—_ his mind helpfully supplied—was, somehow, inexplicably alive. Unconscious, certainly—not many a man could survive a direct blow like his.

 _Of course, I am the one who stands even above the gods_ , Scorpio Worm gloated. However, his euphoria left as quickly as it came. It occurred to him that an unconscious and mortally wounded Jiiya wasn't nearly as entertaining as a healthy, conscious one.

After a leisurely pause, Scorpio Worm strolled into the kitchen and came back with a pitcher of lemon-infused water.

 _Jiiya must have prepared it for dinner_. Scorpio Worm chuckled at the joke. Now that he thought about it some more, he  _was_  feeling a little peckish.

He dumped the contents onto the butler's prone figure.

With a gasp, the butler revived. His mouth opened and shut like a trap as he tried to breathe. When he wiped away some of the excess moisture clinging to his locks, his eyes widened as they took in the masquerading Worm that had assumed a courtly, albeit haughty air that was all too disturbingly reminiscent of his late master.

"What are you doing on the ground, Jiiya?" the monster said, mimicking every inflection of Kamishiro Tsurugi's voice perfectly. "It's past dinnertime and I'm  _hungry._ "

For a split second, the elderly butler was torn between letting out a sigh of exasperation— _Bocchama is particular about having dinner exactly on time_ —and a bellow of fury at the Worm's impertinence.

What burst from his lips instead was a feeble gurgle and a discharge of bodily fluids.

 _Bocchama_ —the Worm—only tsked, as if it were chastising him. With a sharp flick of his hand, the Worm sent a fluffy down towel sailing through the air and into Jiiya's bruised arms.

Already, the oversaturated front of his shirt was tainting the pure white hue of the towel, droplets dying the soft fibers— _nothing but the best for the Discabils—_ like little flowers.

"I suppose it is only proper that the master grants his faithful manservant a moment to collect himself." The Worm, Jiiya seethed, had the audacity to manipulate his  _Bocchama_ 's features into a mocking semblance of self-reproach. "However,  _godly_  the lord may be, his manservant is merely mortal."

"Isn't that what you told me in yesterday's etiquette lesson,  _Jiiya?_ "


	5. Memory's Fragrance

Jiiya imagined that the Scorpio Worm would further flaunt its power over him by discarding his lackluster culinary efforts (Jiiya, regardless of the situation, was a butler who took pride in his abilities to prepare meals that would satisfy any palate, especially his  _bocchama's_  finicky tastes.)

But such efforts were wasted on a Worm, Jiiya thought when he prepared the meal with trembling hands, ignoring the throbbing pain in his chest.

What did it matter if the miso soup Jiiya ladled out was slightly saltier than it should be? Could Worms even die from hypertension?

What Jiiya did not expect was for the Worm to devour the soup with gusto and demand, with an almost childish pout, for more.

"Do you expect me to starve,  _Jiiya_?" Scorpio Worm tapped the porcelain spoon on the inside of the bowl, an achingly familiar gesture.

"Would you like another bowl?" Jiiya said with gritted teeth.

"Never mind. I'll get it myself." With inhuman speed, the Worm was in the kitchen—Jiiya's beloved domain—ladling himself more soup.

Jiiya took the moment to hide one of the kitchen knives behind his back. He had chosen the blade with great care, though he had little confidence that it would be sharp enough to pierce the Worm's armor.

Oddly enough, the Worm seemed to have no intention of shedding  _Bocchama's_ appearance.

"Don't think for a moment you can escape, old man," Scorpio Worm hissed from the kitchen. "As far as the world's concerned,  _I'm_ master of this house. If you so much take a step out of this house, you'll regret it dearly."

"Why are you doing this? Take my life-you've already taken everything else,  _Worm._ "

Scorpio Worm chuckled.

"You want to die so badly,  _Jiiya_?" The Worm twitched, almost as if it were about to have a fit. "I won't let you—it's much more painful—for  _you_ —and more fun—for me—to keep you around. Besides—" Scorpio Worm shoved the bowl to the side for disposal. "—what kind of master I would be without a faithful man attending me?"

To Scorpio Worm's amusement, Jiiya glowered at him, shoulders trembling.

"You dare mock—"

"Kamishiro Tsurugi is dead,  _Jiiya_ , and it's about time you accepted it."

Scorpio Worm did not feel the wholehearted satisfaction he expected from seeing the man bow his head in defeat.

Kamishiro Tsurugi is dead. Those words—they troubled him somewhat.

Looking around—anything but the man—Scorpio Worm noticed the garden from the window. He had gotten rid of the bodies earlier but several rose beds had been trampled and would need to be fixed.

" _Nee-chan_  would like them trimmed…" The murmured words fell from his lips like water droplets.

"Go prune the roses in the back after you're done with dinner clean-up." When Jiiya did not move, anger seized the Worm. He stalked toward Jiiya, who stood defiantly before him.

"I don't like repeating myself, so I'm warning you. Test my patience and I'll—"

Scorpio Worm found himself distracted by a sudden, most peculiar sensation in his side. His eyes tracked the source to a knife stuck in his abdomen, the knife gripped tightly in the hands of the elderly butler, who met his gaze with wide eyes.

"That  _hurt_." And it did. It really did. Scorpio Worm wondered when was the last time he had been in this much pain. Vision swimming, he slumped against the wall, trying to control his breathing.

 _I need to get it out._ He pulled desperately at the knife but it was stuck towards the back, the handle slick and hard to pull. He tried to focus on changing back, looking down at his arms to see hands? Claws? The metallic tang blood overwhelmed his senses. A retch only brought forth new ripples of backbreaking agony.

"Jiiya…it hurts."

The creak of the open front door was his only reply.


	6. Cook's Poison

Tetsu was not a particularly polite man. Unlike his brother, Tetsu never kept his shirts clean, let alone starched, firmly pressed and tucked in. At times, he might throw on a greasy apron-really more of a recycled rug-turned-towel-but only when he anticipated making something that demanded messiness.

But gone were the days of gaudy performing, of burnished victory metal. Tetsu preferred the quiet life, choosing to hole up in his cottage-his getaway from a strange world run by even stranger people. Aside from the yearly birthday card from his brother, Tetsu did not receive word from the outside world.

He preferred it that way.

One can imagine he was less than pleased when his brother staggered into his reading room-for it was too small to be a living room-leaking bloody slop all over the tatami mats.

"I just washed those." Tetsu's tongue clucked, a reflex both sympathetic and cruel. It was an action that described almost all that he was.

Yet without a word, he tended to his brother and prepared a healing miso broth for him. With experienced hands, he cleaned and dressed the grievous wounds no human could have inflicted.

His brother, like him, was a man of few words. But that was where the similarities ended. Where Tetsu was caustic and tactless, his brother was gracious and diplomatic. But then, a never-ending supply of patience was a requirement to attend to one of the most troublesome scions of the Discabil family.

It was not hard to surmise what had happened. Despite his hermetic existence, even Tetsu had received news of the fearsome Worms that had infiltrated human society, wreaking havoc from the shadows.

And now, the Discabil family line had ended. Abruptly violent.

Such was the way of a world both beautiful and cruel.

Despite being twins, Tetsu had never fully understood his brother. Why, despite his obvious talent, had he forsaken the cooking world to put his skills pandering to the remnants of a long-forgotten line? Not to mention that Kamishiro Tsurugi's reputation for being a brat (a sophisticated one, but a brat nonetheless) was practically common fact.

At one time, Tetsu's contemplations on his brother would have led him to the conclusion that he was perhaps, a little envious of the two. Of both his brother and his young lord. The young lord for having somehow earned his brother's devotion. His brother who had found the person he would be willing to sacrifice everything for.

Instead, Tetsu pushed the teacup across the tabletop. His brother's hands cradled it in trembling hands.

"What will you do?"

"I don't know how to kill it...and as long as it continues to wear his face…"

Tetsu nodded.

"You can't face it directly," he said. "You could…" The words left and died in his mouth as he spoke.

A slight raise of the eyebrows was the only sign of his brother's surprise.

"I couldn't. I can't stay, not without finishing up this business. I have to, for  _Bocchama_ 's sake."

Tetsu hummed. "Seeing how getting skewered didn't change your mind the least, it'll be a waste of time and energy for me to convince you otherwise. At least, take this with you."

His brother deftly caught the small bottle, mouth set in a frown.

"Is this your idea of a joke?"

"It's particularly effective on arachnids. A few drops are all it'll take."

* * *

"This is really delicious, Jiiya!" Kamishiro Tsurugi beamed, a smile of pure delight on his face.

The elderly butler inclined his head, a perfunctory gesture of gratitude.

"By all means, drink as much as you'd like."

Wrinkled hands clenched around an empty amber bottle behind the butler's back.

_Enjoy your last meal, Worm._


	7. Worm's Battle

Scorpio Worm was afraid.

The idea of this was so ridiculous Scorpio Worm had passed it off as a lingering remnant of one of his devoured victims. It wasn't unusual for his mind, especially when it was quiet, to be an echo chamber of the thoughts and emotions of the people he copied. They were harmless and usually faded quickly into oblivion with time.

_He's waiting for me_

_Please, don't leave me_

_This time, this time for sure_

_Why? I don't understand_

Ghosts of desires and thoughts, they were the bits of personalities Scorpio Worm had consumed and used like masks for his hunts. He did not think of them too deeply—human personalities were too complicated for his taste. All that mattered to him was surviving.

And of course, the pleasure of enjoying his next meal.

Contrary to some of his brethren, Scorpio Worm did not exclusively consume human flesh. He wasn't sure how exactly he felt about his ability to access human taste buds but he did admit it was rather convenient to go to a store, exchange metal bits and pulped tree fibers for food, rather than having to kill off a human every time his stomach growled. Scorpio Worm couldn't imagine the inconvenience of having to constantly move around after each kill, to make sure the annoying ZECT troops didn't come knocking on his door. (Not that he couldn't handle them, it was just troublesome. And completely beneath his station.)

Of course, with Jiiya around, access to delicious food just became easier. It was really fortunate the butler was such an excellent cook. Never had Scorpio Worm eaten such fine dishes. To think that mere herbs and grasses could give meats such a flavor!

Yet even the savoriest morsel could not take away the fear that began to plague Scorpio Worm nights ago.

Worms do not dream, should not dream,  _cannot_  dream.

Yet Scorpio Worm dreamed.

Some of the dreams were very pleasant, though quite unsettling at the same time. It was a rather odd feeling, a sensation of seeming wakefulness. There was serenity unnatural in the dream, where sensations amplified beyond physical boundaries. The gentleness of a hand ( _Nee-chan)_ , the sweet ripeness of summer fruit ( _strawberries and cream_ ), the soft, mellow notes of a half-remembered melody ( _violin lessons_ ). Scorpio Worm couldn't say that he entirely disliked them, but they made him feel ( _remember_ ) things he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to feel.

And then there were the nightmares. Disjointed, dark, and explosive with unadulterated fear. Worms were hardly immortal, but fear of death was not a normal Worm fear. Unless the Worm was weak.

Scorpio Worm was not weak.

Yet the fear of death latched onto him now like a parasite.

Smears of red on white became grotesque. Scorpio Worm's stomach churned at the memory of long dark hair ( _Nee-chan's_ ), the coldness of frozen fingers ( _Nee-chan's_ ), the sharp taste of peppermint candy ( _her favorite_ ).

He also detested the very sight of roses. ( _Happy birthday, Nee-chan!_ )

And the pain, a phantom of that fateful stroke, persisted, festering in his beating heart— _do scorpions have them?—_ like a taiko drum.

It was as if by killing him, Scorpio Worm had inherited the pain of the late Kamishiro Tsurugi himself.

And who should help the troubled lord but the lord's very own servant?

Scorpio Worm had intended to keep the man alive on an act that was part cruel whim, part practical sense. Regardless of Kamishiro Tsurugi's obvious wealth, he was still but a minor and needed a guardian. With the sister dead and properly buried (for some reason, it felt wrong to just dump the carcass off somewhere), that left only the butler. Who had a remarkable constitution for a man his age. Scorpio Worm chastised himself for his reckless actions toward the man—had the butler not sought medical attention, Scorpio Worm was fairly confident that Jiiya would have died, which would have been a shame since Scorpio Worm was already starting to like the man.

Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Jiiya himself.

Worms have little concept of family. Not that Scorpio Worm remembered his parents. Vaguely, he remembered pushing out of his egg, back when he was a larva.  _His stomach clenched at the thought of how frightful he had looked then._  He remembered being ravenous and scrounging for his first prey—some half-naked furball with an ill-favored look in its eyes.

_I love cats, Tsu-chan. Aren't they adorable?_

Scorpio Worm, on some level, was able to understand the man's grief. But he didn't think his actions warranted the pure hatred that gleamed in the man's eyes as he served dinner ( _Jiiya's always polite, even more so when he's mad.)_

Scorpio Worm was surprised that the butler had returned at all. The man could have fled. And yet the man returned the very next day, still obviously injured but his condition much more stable. The butler treated him with cold courtesy, like a barely tolerated guest.

Jiiya was awfully cruel, wasn't he? It wasn't  _his_  fault that  _Nee-chan_  died. Or perhaps it was. He could have stopped it—himself.

* * *

"Stop doing that."

Jiiya paused in the pouring of the wine. Despite his brother's words, the Worm proved to be unexpectedly resilient to poison. He had tried almost every poison (or in certain dishes, poison combinations) he could possibly think of, to little avail. The Worm remained as hale and hearty as ever, and even had the audacity to enjoy the meals Jiiya had so carefully prepared.

Out of habit, Jiiya looked up to look at the Worm.

Only to find his  _bocchama_  looking up at him. Jiiya blinked.

Now that the Worm had taken to human hygiene habits (using up all of the hot water, lathering itself in soap—oddly enough, it was careful to avoid any of Mika-sama's hair products), its resemblance to his late  _bocchama_  was uncanny. Not only did it look like him, it dressed like him, walked like him, even  _talked_  like him. If it were not for the pain in his chest, a steady reminder of the tragedy and of the Worm's cruelty, Jiiya could almost pretend that his  _bocchama_  was alive and well.

Almost.

"You will have to elaborate on your meaning, Worm."

The Worm—Kamishiro Tsurugi—made a face.

"Don't call me that. I have a name, you know."

"It is not your name," Jiiya said, feeling his voice grow thick with anger. "It was never yours, so don't steal it."

To Jiiya's surprise, the Worm flinched. When it spoke, its voice became small and childishly timid, without its usual bluster.

"I wish you wouldn't hate me so much."

The sheer vulnerability tugged at Jiiya's heartstrings, before cool logic was able to still them once more. Clearing his throat, Jiiya glared at the Worm.

"Does it bother you to be hated so much, Worm?"

"Only because it's you," the Worm replied, before immediately clapping a hand to its mouth, eyes widening. It apparently had said something it didn't mean to say.

Or rather shouldn't be able to say.

"Don't tell me you've decided to keep me alive because you've grown fond of me," Jiiya continued, eyes merciless. "I will never forgive you—you have taken everything from me. You are beyond redemption. A monster like you is unworthy of this lowly butler's gratitude."

This time, Jiiya managed to get a rise out of the Worm. With predatory grace, Scorpio Worm slammed Jiiya down on the dinner table, just enough to knock the wind out of the man without breaking any bones. It breathed heavily, fingers clasped tightly around the butler's collar. Its face—still Tsurugi's—twisted in astonishingly human agony.

"Do you know what it's like, to live like this, like a monster?" the Worm screamed. "Do you think I enjoy this? You humans  _feel_ so much, it hurts. You can't imagine it, Jiiya. You really can't."

Scorpio Worm, overwrought with emotions he cannot control, only feel and drown and choke, releases Jiiya, excusing himself before fleeing the table to retreat to his room.

Looking down, the elderly butler found the front of his shirt was damp.

Apparently, Worms could cry.

_But who was it that shed those tears, the monster or the human trapped inside?_

* * *

"Pancakes, Jiiya, my favorite!"

To say that the butler had a minor heart attack when the Worm, sleepy-eyed, padded into the kitchen in silk pajamas and fluffy slippers.

"Bo—you're up early."

"I could smell the pancakes from my room," the Worm said, with a yawn. Jiiya noticed the dark rings ( _Bocchama's_  skin was always too pale) under the eyes.

"Didn't sleep well, did you. The bed not comfortable enough?"

The Worm, strangely enough, did not pick up on the butler's sarcasm. It seemed distracted by something by the window.

"You wouldn't choose a bed that wasn't suitable for me, Jiiya," the Worm said. "I haven't been sleeping well. Bad dreams."

Jiiya didn't know quite what to say to that.

"Jiiya." The butler started at the touch. The Worm's hand exactly like  _Bocchama_ 's: soft and warm, the fingers softly callused from violin playing. "Don't forget the syrup."

For the first time, the butler hesitated to tip the contents of a newly acquired toxin into the food.

"When you get around to it, make sure the windows are cleaned. I noticed fresh cobwebs. I can't  _stand_  a messy house."

With a troubled heart, Jiiya poured the bottle's contents into the syrup pitcher.


	8. Spider's Web

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notes: 3 years before canon.

Scorpio Worm glared sourly at the cobwebs by the kitchen windows.

Undoubtedly, Jiiya was confused by his irritable mood. And when he had directed the butler to sweep away the webs, the butler might be further bewildered by their very presence. Jiiya had always kept the house immaculate.

"Don't bother with the broom," Scorpio Worm said, as the butler retreated to a supply closet in search of cleaning supplies. "Use the garden shears. Or a chainsaw—we have one, don't we?"

Bemusement filtered through Jiiya's façade of sullenness.

"Are you suggesting that I wantonly destroy the manor just to remove some spider webs?"

Scorpio Worm forced his teeth in a mocking smile.

"No, I only suggested the chainsaw for your own safety, Jiiya. Spider webs are tougher than they look."

* * *

To Jiiya's chagrin, Scorpio Worm's advice proved to be quite correct. No amount of sweeping or heavy duty vacuuming could tear down the webs by the window. If not for their shape, Jiiya would not have thought they were cobwebs as well. Upon closer examination, the threads were sticky but stretched like silk. But regular spider's silk did not require a chainsaw to cut (the shears worked until the sticky film that covered the threads blunted the blades).

It was the toughest spider web the butler had had to tend to in many years.

As he powered down the chainsaw, Jiiya noticed a gleaming white strand of thread attached under the windowsill. Rather than floating freely, the strand pulled taut, away from the sill and ran parallel to the wall, sloping downwards. Fascinated, Jiiya followed the path of the strand, wondering where it ended.

The strand wound around the corner to the back gate, which led to the rose garden. Jiiya paused, the memory still too fresh in his mind. Steeling his resolve, he pushed open the back gate. He tripped over a garden hose and fell forward, his face inches away from the ground.

To his shock he could not get up. His limbs strained to pull off the sticky white threads, which stretched but did not break.

"Don't move."

Jiiya couldn't have moved if he wanted to, but his back stiffened regardless. He could hear the footsteps of Scorpio Worm approaching him from behind.

Soft, measured steps. Jiiya braced himself for the blow.

Instead, gentle, painfully familiar hands found him. Despite himself, Jiiya reveled in their reassuring warmth. Unbidden tears welled up in his eyes.

"Hold still—I'm going to set you free." With a flick of his thumb, Scorpio Worm lit the lighter and carefully began singeing off the threads binding the butler, one by one.

Finally, only the last thread remained. It was attached to Jiiya's shirt, just below the left front pocket. Unlike the other threads, this one was much thicker, and pulsated a dark gray.

" _Merde_ ," Scorpio Worm spat. Jiiya, now sitting on the ground, almost cross-legged, looked at it in disbelief.

"Since when do you know French?"

"Since always," the Worm replied, clearing away the broken strands that clung to Jiiya's clothes.

"Your French tutor would have never taught you to curse,  _Bocchama._ "

Consternation beaded the Worm's brow and to Jiiya's surprise, it turned away from him, face flushed red.

"He wasn't a very good tutor—one time, when he found out his wife had cheated on him, he used a worse words than that. And then he told me that if I kept quiet, he would change the grade on my last test—why are you looking at me like that?"

Jiiya, who had been watching Scorpio Worm very intently, coughed and looked away.

"Do you mind getting this—whatever this is off of me?" Jiiyra reached out to tug the thread off, only for his hand to be crushed by the Worm's fingers.

"Don't touch—it's poisonous. See how it's gray? It's a feeler thread, meant to paralyze." The Worm hesitated. "The lighter's fire is too weak to break this one. I'll have to cut it."

"Don't tell me you're going to hack it off with the chainsaw."

Scorpio Worm scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, Jiiya." It raised its hand and concentrated. Jiiya jumped when the hand deformed into a sharp claw.

"I need to make sure that the feeler didn't work its way through your shirt—will you let me?"

Jiiya contemplated the absurdity of a Worm being concerned. Slowly, he took a deep breath and nodded.

The Worm leaned close, one hand—still human—resting reassuringly on Jiiya's shoulder. The other hand—steel-like pincer—closed around the thick thread. Jiiya could feel the hardness of the pincer, every little barb poking through the cloth.

The Worm cut the thread, taking great care not to hurt Jiiya. Ever so lightly, the Worm unbuttoned Jiiya's shirt with its hands—now both human—and pulled back the shirt to reveal unbroken skin.

The Worm sighed with relief.

"Good, it didn't get you." Its eyes narrowed as it stared past Jiiya's shoulder.

"No, don't look—"

Jiiya turned around to look anyway and what his eyes beheld was enough to make him feel faint.

A giant spider's web—really a nest of multiple webs layered over each other like a mangled knitting project—sprawled over the Kamishiro rose garden. In the very heart of the web, dangling above a bed of roses was a severed woman's head.

Jiiya could not tell if the head was Mika's—it was too decayed and swathed in spider silk for him to distinguish.

"What in Kami-sama is—"

"It's her idea of a visitor's gift," the Worm said. "She'll be back to greet me."

Jiiya's face darkened at the thought of another Worm. "She likes you, then. You two suit each other."

The Worm grimaced. "Don't say that. She's disgusting."

Jiiya wondered in a Worm condemning another Worm for its grotesque sense of humor fell under hypocrisy.

"It seems we'll be having a guest over for dinner tonight," the Worm told him once they were back in the house. Under the Worm's instructions, Jiiya had discreetly doused certain parts integral to the web's support in kerosene. "I trust you can come up with a suitable menu?"

Still reeling from the Worm's almost hospitable demeanor, Jiiya found it easiest to countermand his growing doubts with a sharp tongue.

"And what will you be having then, some roasted human heads as the main course?"

"Kami, no, that'll only encourage her to stay." Scorpio Worm touched a fingertip to his lips as he thought.

Then he smiled.

"You wouldn't have any poison on hand, would you?"


	9. Lord's Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notes: 3 years before canon.

"This is really quite a lovely nest. You've done well since we last dined."

Scorpio Worm scoffed.

"You're as tasteless as ever,  _Spider_. You'd think a hag like you would have better manners, leaving that repulsive thing in my backyard."

Though the body Spider assumed was beautiful, the hungry look she opted was anything but. Jiiya noted that she—unlike Scorpio Worm—appeared distinctly uncomfortable. Legs jiggled restlessly in her seat and her fingers twitched. Her eyes shifted left and right so rapidly, it was a wonder she didn't get dizzy.

"You're so comfortable in that human skin of yours," she purred to Scorpio Worm. In the dinner candlelight, Jiiya caught a flash of fangs behind her scarlet lips. "I'm jealous."

"Who wouldn't be?" Scorpio Worm replied, lounging in his seat, looking entirely at ease. One hand nonchalantly twirled a soupspoon. "Frankly, if I were as pathetic as you, I'd be jealous of me too."

Spider chuckled, her voice disdainfully melodic. "There's no need to be so rude. We might have gone off the wrong foot—"

"Hardly surprising, considering how many extra feet you have—"

Spider swallowed, her pretty little throat twitching. "You're not still mad that I killed the mother, are you?"

_That_  got Jiiya's attention fast.

Scorpio Worm ceased in his spoon twirling. Kamishiro Tsurugi's face froze, a mosaic of fear, anger, and guilt.

Spider grinned, her teeth a nightmare of pearly white.

"I forgot how young you are, Scorpio." Spider delicately raised her goblet, a mocking toast. "But that's what makes you so…delightful."

"How revolting." A raised pinky as he lifted his goblet in return.

The signal,  _Bocchama's_ cue. But Jiiya's feet were rooted from behind the door.

"I hoped you wouldn't begrudge me too much for that!" Spider said, a sparkle in her eye. "You had the same idea, too. You were so inexperienced—it must have been your first time." She licked her lips. "Was it such a big shock when you copied your first human?"

Jiiya watched as Scorpio's hand tightened on the spoon.

"I wondered what you would do once you copied the brat," Spider continued. "What a sight you were, it was hard to tell who was more upset—you or the brat."

"Kouta," Scorpio interrupted.

"Was that his name?" Lips curved in an all-knowing smile. "Such a noisy little thing. But then again, all children are very much alike—it's so hard to tell them apart. It's funny that  _you_  remember."

"Maybe your brains fell out with all that spinning you do," Scorpio suggested. "Wouldn't surprise me."

"How long have you been in that body?" Spider asked suddenly. "One week? Or two?"

"What does it matter to you? In any case, I've forgotten."

"You don't know?" Spider cocked her head before rising to her feet. "Have you lost your mind?"

"No, but you'll lose your head if you don't sit back down," Scorpio snapped.

Spider slowly retreated to her seat but continued gazing thoughtfully at her host.

"You are in great danger," she finally said. "Don't you see what's happening to you?"

"Continue to speak in riddles and you'll suffer my displeasure."

Spider's eyes widened. "You were never this eloquent, Scorpio! You're already being devoured."

Scorpio's fingers snapped the spoon in half. The bowl fell somewhere past Jiiya's feet.

"What do you mean?" Scorpio asked, his voice dangerous and quiet.

"There's a reason why we don't stay in the human guises we mimic for long," Spider said. With a sigh, she shed her human disguise, revealing her arachnid self in its grotesque glory. Scorpio recoiled at the transformation but held steady his gaze.

"Why's that?" Scorpio asked. He already dreaded the answer, which lingered in the back of his mind, barely concealed.

"It's so we don't lose ourselves, silly Scorpio," Spider said. Her smirk on her true face was even more vomit inducing than it was in her human shell. "Didn't you know? The longer we maintain a human personality, the greater the risk the personality will take over. This is very rare of course, almost unheard of." Her legs—all eight of them—twitched. "Humans are so very delicious but their minds are absolutely disgusting, almost indigestible."

"It's why we don't leave loose ends," Spider continued with relish. "As a weaver, I have knowledge of such things." Her jaws opened in a crude imitation of a human smile. "I can help you, Scorpio."

"I don't need any help. Especially from you."

"Poor, poor Scorpio, you honestly don't know what's going on? What's happening to you?" Spider crooned. "Like I said, a Worm must take care of  _all_ the loose ends." Her eyes flicked to the door. "I understand you took care of the female but there's still one more. Inconveniently still breathing."

Scorpio snarled in the back of his throat. "The butler's mine. Stay out of it—it's none of your business—"

"Even if I told you that your butler has been poisoning your food this entire time?"

Silence.

"You lie."

"Would I have any reason to lie to you, Scorpio? You might begrudge me for ruining a past hunt but I wouldn't deceive you about something as important as this." She tossed an empty amber vial down on the table, where it shattered. "One of the little ones by the window caught him pouring this into your meal this morning."

Scorpio hissed.

"Jiiya!"

Without hesitation, the butler opened the door.

Only to be encased in a cocoon of spider's silk.

Though it was difficult to breathe, Jiiya forced himself to stay calm.

"You called?"

Kamishiro Tsurugi's eyes narrowed into slits. Jiiya found the gaze—utterly angry and human—almost comforting.

"Did you poison me, Jiiya?"

The cocoon tightened.

"Yes, I did, Worm, and I'd gladly do it again."

"Cheeky old man!" Spider purred, propelling the butler towards her with her length of web. "You don't mind if I tenderize him a little, do you Scorpio?"

Jiiya could not look upon Scorpio's face from his position (prone, face-down on the ground) but he did not need to look to despair.

After a moment's pause, Scorpio spoke.

"By all means, go ahead."


	10. Butler's Gamble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notes: 3 years before canon.

Jiiya, simply put, was scared shitless.

But given the proximity of Spider's jaws to his face, the butler figured he could at least be given some slack.

"What's your favorite part, Scorpio?" Spider's legs wriggled in delight as she savored her prey's helplessness. Venomous drool already filled her mouth, which added a slurpy quality to her husky voice. "I, myself, am particularly fond of the intestines." Her legs paused in their never-ending twitch. "You know, I'd be willing to share. Dinner for two?"

Scorpio slouched in his seat, chair turned slightly away to avoid looking at Spider.

"No thanks. Just take your meal and go." Jiiya thought Scorpio's voice sounded thick and hoarse, much like  _Bocchama_  when holding back tears.

"You're no fun, Scorpio." A ghastly pout. "But very generous," she added graciously. "If I were you, I would want to take care of backstabbing vermin myself and here you are giving it to me."

"Not without a price," Scorpio grumbled, his back still turned. "In exchange, never appear before me again."

"Can I at least unwrap your lovely gift and sample it?" Jiiya shuddered as he felt the barbed legs pick him up and begin to unravel the cocoon. His arms hugged tight across his chest, heart pulsing madly in his throat.

_I only have one chance._

"Hmm, what's this?" Spider had reached his arms, which were clasped tightly. "What have you got there, old man?" All eight of her eyes narrowed. "Give it to me."

Jiiya tried not to retch on the smell of decaying flesh.

"No," he said. Freeing his legs, Jiiya gave Spider the hardest kick he could muster.

Spider shrieked, doubling over as she clutched her abdomen. With a snap of her jaws, she spat out a sticky web string, forcing Jiiya's arms open. With a snort, she kicked the precious package the butler was protecting clear across the room. Her jaws clicked an accelerating staccato, too furious for words.

"You'll pay for that," she promised and lunged.

A scream.

* * *

Scorpio wonders if humans were masochistic by nature. There was no other reason to explain why he  _hurts_  so much.

What was infuriating was that the pain seemed to be localized near his heart, but everything else, from the fingers to his head—oh especially the head—seemed to hurt too. He shivers, clenching his fists, the winter of emotions stealing his body's warmth away.

Scorpio contemplates whether or not it had to do with his poisoned state.

Scorpio does not look at Jiiya. Didn't want to. Wanted to. Destroy the old man for hurting him.

_But it's Jiiya!_

The Worm shudders. Where had that voice come from? It didn't sound like anything it would say. Or would it? Scorpio couldn't remember.

_Didn't you know? The longer we maintain a human personality, the greater the risk the personality will take over._

Hence why Scorpio made up his mind to let Spider have her way. Not that he wanted to, but he had to make a point.

_I am Scorpio Worm, not Kamishiro Tsurugi._

Yet he could not shut his ears to Spider's taunting and Jiiya's pain.

_Why, Jiiya? Jiiya would never hurt me!_

_Well, he did, so shut up._

To Scorpio's displeasure, a human head fell into his lap. For a split-second, panic set in— _Jiiya's?_ —but logic took over when Scorpio realized the head was desiccated and had been so for some time. Stringy black strands of hair clung to the skull, which was swathed in bits of web.

 _Some dried up leftover_ , Scorpio thought but then something red caught his eye. Curious, Scorpio combed the hair loose with his fingers.

A red ribbon, embroidered with roses, fell out.

_Nee-chan! Doesn't this ribbon suit you?_

_I really shouldn't, Tsu-chan. We've already bought so much._

_But it looks good on you—I'm getting it for you. You'd better wear it everyday._

_All right, Tsu-chan._

Scorpio dropped the head. With practiced ease, his poison tail whip appeared in his hand.

He struck.

" _What are you doing_?" Spider wailed, a gash across her cheek. She retreated just in time to avoid being strangled. Jiiya, mostly free from the web cocoon, sat up, mouth parted in astonishment.

"Get out of the way, Jiiya!" Scorpio snarled, snapping his whip back. He leapt onto the table and ran.

Spider retreated to the corner of the room, rapidly spinning herself a makeshift shelter. Scorpio's claw made quick work of the web strands, still glistening and wet. Meanwhile, his tail whip lashed out again and again, repeatedly injecting Spider with his venom.

_Nee-chan! Nee-chan! Nee-chan!_

Scorpio had never been so angry. Faintly, he wondered how he ever thought humans were weak—if sheer fury lent so much power. Scorpio's claws were never sharper, his tail never quicker, his legs never stronger. Spider screamed as he forced her out of the corner, breaking two of her legs in the process. He ignored her cries as he tore out her spinnerets and relished in her fear.

"Let me go! I give up!" Spider wailed, shrinking from the pain. She gasped when Scorpio snap off another leg. And another.

"How many legs does a spider have? Let's count off the rest, shall we?"

Another crack.

_Nee-chanNee-chanNee-chanNee-chanNEE-CHAN_

" _Bocchama,_ that's enough."

Scorpio froze, mind trapped under layers of incoherent thought.

"A spider has eight legs,  _Bocchama_ , and I do believe you've counted them all." Jiiya got to his feet, back straight and footsteps sure. "Will you cease your madness? You've proven your point."

"Go to hell, old man," Scorpio snarled, struggling to hold himself together. He stomped on Spider's abdomen for good measure.

Jiiya slapped him across the cheek, his cheeks wrinkling with anger.

"You will not speak in that tone with me,  _Kamishiro Tsurugi_. It does not befit one of your status to use such language."

Scorpio lunged. Its body—half Scorpio, half Tsurugi—landed on the butler, who fell backwards onto the floor with a startled grunt.

Spider, who lay sprawled on the ground in pieces, lifted her head.

"It's not the human who's weak, Scorpio." She giggled shrilly. "It's—"

Scorpio's claw reached out and sliced Spider's head clean off.

Butler and worm sat there on the polished floor, breathing heavily.

Scorpio was the first to speak.

"The dining room's a mess."

"Would you like me to have it remodeled?" Jiiya delicately asked. A pause. "Perhaps this suits you better."

Scorpio snorted, shrugging off stray web strands from his suit.

"Have this and the garden fixed first thing in the morning."

Suddenly, Scorpio stumbled as he turned away, his back in the butler's plain view.

Jiiya sharply drew in a breath.

" _Bocchama_ , you have something in your back."

Scorpio clucked its tongue as it wrenched out the web arrow from its back.

"Tch. I know. I wouldn't worry. Auto-generative healing powers and all that."

"You're bleeding," Jiiya said quietly, watching the blood flow outwards thick and fast.

Before Scorpio could dignify the butler with a response, he collapsed into Jiiya's arms.


	11. Child's Tale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notes: 3 years before canon.

"His name was Kouta. He just turned four."

The coolness of a wet towel soothed a fevered head.

"Who was he?"

"He lived in Fukuoka with his mom." Its voice faltered. "His dad died when he was real little. He—I don't remember his—my dad." A gasp. "Damn it."

"Tell me about Kouta."

Another shudder, this one more violent than the last.

"He'd—I'd gotten lost. It was winter— _Kaa-chan_  (1) picks me up. But we live close…I wanted to surprise her."

"Why did you choose Kouta?"

"Why?" The Worm's voice edged with wonder. "I wanted to know what it was like. To be so small and helpless, yet brave the snow. I had never copied a human before, though I knew that's what the others did.

"So I did."

"What happened?"

"It cried, of course." Agitation, a stiffness that was not there before. "I was not very gentle in handling him. And obviously, so confused. His—my thoughts were so clear—'Why are there two 'me's'? Two Koutas? So much fear—it paralyzed me. Kouta ran. All in vain, of course.  _She_  was waiting."

"Spider," Jiiya gathered.

Scorpio coughed. "I was new, still inexperienced. I didn't know she had marked him already. Worms, on principle, don't interfere with each other's hunts. No sense in killing each other off when people are after us.

"She killed me quickly, snapped my neck. It happened so quickly, I couldn't scream. But…that's not right. She killed me, but I was still there—looking at me—no, the thing was looking at  _me—"_ Kamishiro Tsurugi's eyes twisted in pain. "She killed me—laughed—and said little kids weren't her type—she likes women—she went after  _Kaa-chan._  Wearing his—my skin!"

"What did you do, Kouta?"

Short, rapid breaths. "I followed her—to stop her. She was pretending to me. I was pretending too, but she wanted to hurt  _Kaa-chan—_ the mother. I ran after—

She tricked her— _Kaa-chan._  Spinning her web of lies—wearing Kouta's skin, pretending to be me. I called out—my voice like a child's but just like that—"

A choke of pain. Kouta's pain? Tsurugi's pain? Or did it belong to the Worm itself?

"That bitch killed  _Kaa-chan._  Right in front of me. Laughed in her face. Asked her how did it feel to have a monster wearing her son's face kill her." A grimace. "I fought her, but she was too strong."

Unbidden tears coursed down his cheeks.

"Why does it hurt so much, Jiiya?" The Worm reached out to grab the butler's hand. "It hurts. It hurts—"

The butler's hands, which held a towel, froze inches above the Worm's face.

Malice gleamed in the Worm's eyes.

"It's your fault—you did this to me."

Jiiya sighed.

* * *

By profession, Jiiya was not a superstitious man. A butler that allowed a belief in supernatural causality to override his practical sense was not a very good butler. But times had changed and it wasn't just a feeling he felt in his aged bones.

So when Scorpio Worm appeared before him in a background bathed in white, Jiiya took a deep breath and acknowledged the Worm's presence with a slight nod.

"This is a first," the Worm said. It had abandoned the body of Kamishiro Tsurugi in favor of its original shape. For some reason, Jiiya did not nearly feel half as afraid as he had been when he last behold the Worm in this form.

"Your first dream?" Jiiya offered.

"The first time you've shown up," Scorpio clarified. "It is…refreshing to escape his nightmares." With a jerk of its head, it nodded to the door that materialized behind him. "The kid cries a lot."

"How do you know this is not your nightmare?" Jiiya asked.

Scorpio Worm laughed, a raucous cackle that was both chilling and mirthful.

"I didn't think about that—Worms don't dream, you see." Teeth glinting, it took a step towards Jiiya. "I should kill you."

"You should," Jiiya mildly said. "I have tried to kill you. Repeatedly. My efforts, unfortunately, are in vain."

"No," Scorpio Worm corrected. "They weren't. You've done a thorough job." Another step. It breathed in Jiiya's face. "Did you know? When a Worm copies a human, aside from a few physical enhancements carried over, its physical body is virtually human. It's the reason why Worms dislike staying in human form—it weakens us considerably."

A step away. Now the Worm was circling Jiiya, like an overbearing hawk.

"The body of Kamishiro Tsurugi couldn't die from the poisons you gave him." A pause. "But  _I_  can."

Scorpio Worm's claw slashed off Jiiya's sleeve.

"I wonder if you planned everything out. Putting  _his_  thoughts into my head. Weakening me to bring  _his_  thoughts to the forefront." Scorpio retreated a few paces, pincer claws gleaming. "For such a feeble human, you're awfully dangerous."

"I should kill you."

Jiiya could feel the serrated edge of the claw tickle his throat.

"But you won't, will you,  _Bocchama?_ "

A great shudder wracked Scorpio's body. It released Jiiya, claws falling to its sides. It snarled when Jiiya approached.

"Don't call me that." It shot a look of panic towards the closed door.

" _Bocchama,_ I'm here for you."

Scorpio cringed and shuffled away towards the advancing butler. "Stay away, old man! I'm not your precious  _Bocchama._ "

Jiiya knelt down. Scorpio whimpered.

" _Bocchama,_ I've waited for you for so long. It's time for you to come home."

"You won't get away with this—!"

Jiiya wrapped his arms around Scorpio in a tight hug.

He closed his eyes.

* * *

"Ugh, I feel terrible." Kamishiro Tsurugi yawned as he stretched in his bed. His head pounded, which was odd considering he only had a goblet of wine. Or did he? His memories of the last week were fuzzy.

Fear gripped him as the memory of roses and blood penetrated his thoughts.

"Bocchama?"

Jiiya hovered over him, his face wrinkled with concern.

"Jiiya, what happened?" He squinted as he traced the dust particles on the wall facing him. Had his eyesight ever been so sharp before?

"You were ill for many days,  _Bocchama_ ," his butler informed him. "I feared you would never wake."

"Don't be ridiculous, Jiiya." Tsurugi tested his limbs and was surprised by the lack of fatigue. "'The first wealth is health,' as Ralph Waldo Emerson said. The Discabil family will have grown impoverished indeed if I get sick."

Jiiya laughed, though it sounded more like a choke.

"It is as you say,  _Bocchama._ "

"Jiiya, are you crying? You  _are_  crying!" Tsurugi felt a pleasing concoction of amusement and bafflement bubble in his stomach. "Why are you crying? Does the sight of me offend you that much?"

"Never,  _Bocchama._ " Jiiya said, looking quite serious. "I'm just very glad to see you. Forgive this old man and his eccentricities."

Tsurugi chuckled.

"Always, Jiiya."


	12. Brother's Letter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notes: 2 years before canon.

_Tetsu,_

_I assume that if you are reading this letter, you haven't completely given up on me. You also must be at least somewhat interested in my welfare. Not that I ever doubted your affections, but I know you have resented the decisions I have made._

_Here is another one to add to the list—and yet, I do not find myself regretting it the least._

_I remain, ever still, the butler to the Discabil family and its only living heir._

_At this point, I can imagine you wringing your hair and gnashing your teeth. Tsk, tsk, Jiiya, have you finally been broken down? Lost your mind?_

_Though there are moments when I do indeed question my sanity, I am confident that in regards to this decision, my mind is perfectly clear._

_The scar on my chest is nearly gone now, much thanks to your excellent care. Bocchama noticed it the other day and was immediately concerned. I told him it was a war wound from long ago. He did not seem to believe me entirely but let my explanation slide._

_Bocchama is most gracious indeed!_

_I see you shaking your head now._

_I know the master I serve is not human. However convincing its façade, however deeply buried the Worm's psyche is, he will always be a Worm._

_But that does not mean he is not Bocchama._

_I have learned a lot about Worms from my experience. Scorpio Worm, though he did not know it at the time, was a most first-rate teacher._

_Did you know that Worms, for all their alien strength and mimicry, cannot do so many things that we humans take for granted? They cannot dream, emote, or empathize. The extent of their natural feelings is driven by the instinct of survival. The need to feed and defend—those are their sole motivations. In this sense they are little better than animals, not unlike their smaller, Earth counterparts. They are neither good nor evil._

_I believe that any evil that comes from Worms originated from the humans they have copied. Did you know? When a Worm copies a human, the transformation is not just a physical one. They copy_ everything _—memories, perceptions, judgments—all the things that make up one's personality and sense of self._

_Can you imagine how overwhelming that must be for a Worm, that knows nothing of fears, hopes, and dreams?_

_I would imagine that they would panic and shut away as much of those troublesome and unfamiliar feelings as possible. I do not have a firm understanding of how a Worm's mind works but I can hypothesize that Worms can compartmentalize their victims' personalities to some extent, and absorb them over time._

_Locked inside the Worm's mind, forced to bear witness as the Worm takes the lives their families and friends, how can the human mind bear to continue living? In despair, the human personality can only languish and fade._

_The power of mimicry is a Worm's greatest weapon. By taking on the form of our loved ones, they can hurt us all where it hurts the most._

_It can also be a Worm's greatest weakness, if the human mind is strong enough._

_You have asked me a long time again, when I took my vows to serve the Discabil family, why Bocchama? Why, out of all the people in the world, did I choose Kamishiro Tsurugi?_

_Though few recognize it, I acknowledge Kamishiro Tsurugi as a rare soul graced with nobility. I don't mean the kind of nobility in the sense of one's lineage (though Bocchama certainly fits under that as well). I mean, the nobility of the soul—a lordly one with great courage and generosity, compassion and strength._

_I see you are laughing now. I admit Bocchama has much more he needs to learn before he can truly lordly in spirit. But he learns quickly and improves in leaps and bounds._

_I can never forgive Scorpio Worm for what he has done to Bocchama. I can never forgive myself for not being there to protect him and Mika-sama from harm._

_My servitude, perhaps, may be a kind of penance for my actions. My punishment for my failings. I mourn for Bocchama and Mika-sama. I could not save them._

_But I am still alive and that alone is a tremendous gift. Scorpio Worm could have easily killed me. But he did not. It has been a long time since I have remembered Kami-sama, but I cannot help but think that this turn of events was fated, somehow._

_How else can I still be alive? How else can things have turned out this way?_

_It is hard for me to discern, who was the extraordinary one? Scorpio Worm for being the first Worm capable of true human empathy, or Bocchama for being so strong in spirit that he was able to find a way to defeat the Worm from within, to return from the dead and live once more._

_I am inclined to believe that they were both exceptional._

_Bocchama is well enough, though his emotional wounds have yet to heal. He blames himself for Mika-sama's death. It has given him a new drive—a drive to kill all Worms._

_I knew you would appreciate the irony._

_Though Bocchama is hardly aware of his less-than-human physique, I live in fear that he will be found out. He has expressed interest in joining ZECT, though the idea of working under someone chafes him immensely. He even considered inviting them to the mansion. Luckily I was able to persuade him from doing so—I do not know how much ZECT knows about Worms—they might be able to identify them and Bocchama would not take it too kindly to be called a Worm._

_I hope he never finds out—the truth could devastate him._

_You must find me pathetic to think of serving what one would call a monster. But the world has yet to lose its strangeness. There are just too many things that cannot be explained. And one must be careful in making generalizations. There is too much that we do not know yet. Perhaps we will know more. Perhaps we will see a day when Scorpio Worms become the norm rather than the exception. What an astounding day that will be!_

_I am not saying that Worms should not be destroyed. They should be—the ones who prey on humans—not out of necessity but of a cruelty that is both inhuman and terribly human at the same time. It is this very quality that makes them true monsters, not their claws, fangs or armor._

_For the ones that take humanity and find themselves drinking so deeply they drown in it, I believe in mercy rather than justice. For when they reach this state, they are only monsters biologically. Should I be damned eternally for this, I will not hesitate to draw the same conclusion._

_The Kamishiro Tsurugi that greets me in the mornings, that cries in his sleep at nights—he is my bocchama._

_Of this, I am certain. And I will protect him until the end._


	13. Epilogue: Heaven's Sword

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Notes: 1 year before canon.
> 
> (1) honorific for company president
> 
> (2) Japanese rhinoceros beetle

Kagami Riku was not entirely sure what to make of Kamishiro Tsurugi.

He was surprised that the young man had even accepted the invitation to meet. He had heard a little bit about the Discabil family—wealthy, old nobility descended from European kings—but was not aware that any descendants were still left. He believed the line had been broken ages ago, and yet here was a Discabil—albeit no longer completely European—right before his very eyes.

Kagami Riku knew better than to be fooled by the deceptively naïve mannerisms of the last Discabil heir. The prettily manicured nails hardly disguised the well-worn calluses of the fingers—the product of many hours of sword training. And while Kamishiro wore clothes that might have befit a foppish European noble from the 19th century, his posture was both relaxed and alert, his motions oddly graceful.

Despite the cherubic aura the youth exuded, Kagami Riku's instincts screamed at him to be cautious, to confront him like he would a wild beast.

"You're saying that you want this sword," Tsurugi spoke, his voice smooth, slightly husky. He leaned forward, eyes half-lidded. "Why should I hand it over? As the English say, 'Finders keepers.'"

Riku sighed. Tadokoro Shuichi, his most capable commander, hastened to respond.

"Kamishiro-kun," Tadokoro said, keeping his voice as calm and gentle as possible. "The sword was developed by ZECT, and is a very important part of our research to study ways to combat Worms."

"Your mission is the only reason why you commoners are even graced with my presence at such short notice," Tsurugi had the audacity to say. Riku found himself torn between laughing and bristling with indignation.

He coughed instead.

"And we very much appreciate it," Tadokoro diplomatically said. "But seeing as the  _Sasword Yaiba_ was ours originally, it would help us immensely if you were courteous enough to give it back."

"So this is ZECT's answer to the destruction of the Worms?" Kamishiro Tsurugi's lips curled in disdain. "You can't expect to kill a Worm with just a  _sword._ "

Riku laughed, his mirth resonated deep in his belly. Tsurugi was a funny one!

"You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. You speak truly, Kamishiro-kun."

To Riku's pleasure, Tsurugi's brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of his comment.

"Your words make no sense. The sword is hardly a person."

"What we have before us, is merely the home of the creature that inhabits it," Riku said. "The Zecter."

"Zecters?"

"The Masked Rider System," Tadokoro elaborated. "It's the combat mobile system our scientists at ZECT have developed. To fight the Worms. We're still running tests on them but they've proven to be very effective against Worms."

"Oh?" A spark of interest gleamed in Tsurugi's eyes. "And what exactly do these Zecters look like?"

Tadokoro hesitated before motioning an aide over to bring over the steel-plated briefcase.

"Our scientists are a bit eccentric," Riku smiled. He watched Tsurugi crane his neck in interest, which ruined his affected boredom. "The design of the Zecters are—"

"Bugs?" Tsurugi cut in, eyeing the Zecters with ill-concealed distaste.

"I'm sure you appreciate our appropriate design," Riku said. "To defeat insects with insects-surely there is no better way."

"You overstep your boundaries with your assumption, commoner," Tsurugi uttered coldly, retreating back into his shell.

 _Very insect-like_ , Riku observed.

"Bumblebee, dragonfly,  _kabutomushi_  (1)…" Tsurugi's eyes narrowed. "What's that one over there?"

Tadokoro jumped a little and looked down.

"This one? This Zecter's still being tuned—it's a bit of a dud—it hasn't responded like any of the other Zecters. They were experimenting with a land-type—"

"What was that?" Kamishiro Tsurugi suddenly stood up, head turning.

"Pardon?" Riku wondered why Tsurugi called to his butler, who immediately moved away from the door and stood next to his master—

The mentioned door burst into smithereens.

"We're under attack!" Tadokoro shouted, moving to shield Riku from harm.

Five Salis Worms burst into the conference room, snarling in their mottled green glory. Despite not having fully evolved they were still very dangerous. Especially since no one in the room happened to be Zecter-compatible.

"Kagami- _shach_ _ō_ (2)!" Tadokoro had a gun out in a flash and snapped off several shots. The shots harmlessly bounced off the thick Worm armor.

Kagami Riku, however, was distracted by the Zecters lying in the suitcase.

Of one purple Zecter in particular. One that the research team almost scrapped, believing it a failure.

"Jiiya, get back!" Kamishiro Tsurugi leaped forward, just in time to swipe the sword off the table. Sword raised, he jabbed the Worm in the eye.

"Die, Worm!"

For the very first time, the purple Zector came alive. With a mechanical cry, it snapped off its bonds and jumped out of the briefcase, legs clicking as it skimmed the surface with startling speed.

"STANDBY." The Zecter leaped into Tsurugi's right hand, who looked down at it, eyes widening.

Kagami Riku held his breath. Zecters were notoriously temperamental, but when they found a suitable host…

Tsurugi changed his grip on the sword, bringing the tip towards the ground. He slapped the still Zecter curled in his fist up to the unadorned hilt, where the Zecter locked perfectly into place.

" _Henshin_."

Swathed in purple armor and orange tubes, Kamishiro Tsurugi proceeded to lay waste to three of the Worms. Tadokoro gave a warning shout—the remaining two Worms had used the time to evolve into more formidable opponents.

Tsurugi scoffed and pinched the Zecter's claws on the sword to activate its second ability.

"Cast Off!"

"CAST OFF. CHANGE SCORPION."

Behind him, the butler gave a little gasp. Kagami Riku couldn't blame him. The Sasword system was quite a sight to behold. The purple armor gleamed so bright it looked poisonous. Watching Tsurugi fight in that armor was like watching a real scorpion move, quick, darting moves that were not only energy-efficient but deadly.

The remaining Worms didn't stand a chance.

When Tsurugi dismissed the armor, the Sasword Zecter slid up from Tsurugi's hand and nestled in the boy's front pocket.

" _Bocchama!_ " The butler, still shaking, ran to his master's side. Tsurugi surveyed the conference room—now ruined—with a cold but hungry gaze.

"Seeing how your pathetic organization is so in desperate need of help, and in light of recent events, I am prepared to offer my assistance, Kagami-san. With appropriate compensation, of course."

"I see even the royal lion has his price," Riku said, half-smiling. It was not how he imagined the arrangement would have worked out but he would take what he could get. "We look forward to having you work for us."

"Let me make myself clear-I don't work for anyone," Tsurugi said before turning to his butler. "We're leaving, Jiiya."

After the two left, Tadokoro sidled over to Riku, who sat down on a piece of rubble.

"Was it really all right to give the Sasword Zecter away, just like that?" Tadokoro asked. "Even if he is a suitable host, surely there are others."

"Not human ones," Riku reminded him. "Sasword, like all Zecters, responds to Native users. But it seems peculiarly resistant to human hosts."

"Perhaps it's just picky, like the Kabuto Zecter," Tadokoro suggested.

"Perhaps." Riku smiled upwards at the ceiling. One could see a patch of the sky from a panel of glass. "Or perhaps Kamishiro Tsurugi is simply one exceptional human."

"He's exceptionally arrogant," Tadokoro huffed. "You'd think someone so blue-blooded would have better manners."

"I thought he was quite charming," Riku said. "That inner fire, that jaded yet innocent way of looking at the world-he reminds me of Arata. The two would be good friends. Perhaps they will meet someday."

* * *

Kamishiro Tsurugi was quiet on the drive back to the manor. Though Jiiya was quite nervous—he kept a careful eye on the Sasword Zector that nuzzled Tsurugi's chin affectionately—he forced himself to not speak a single word until they arrived.

" _Bocchama,_ we're back." The words felt heavy on the butler's tongue somehow. He could not read the expression on his master's face. It was contemplative, yet utterly devoid of emotion.

Very Worm-like.

Instead of walking towards the beckoning front door, Tsurugi turned around and tossed the Sasword Zecter out of his pocket. With a whirr, the Zecter landed on the ground, shaking dirt from its claws and legs.

" _Bocchama?_ "

The Sasword Zecter spun in a few, forlorn circles around Tsurugi, not unlike an abandoned puppy. When Tsurugi did not reply, the Zecter scurried off, digging into the ground until it was gone from sight.

"It'll come when I need it to," Tsurugi said, his voice thick and slightly muffled. It took Jiiya only half a second to realize that his master was fighting back tears. Shame filled every inch of Jiiya for even doubting his master for a moment. The silence that was so alien before was now agonizingly, mercifully familiar.

"The gods must be laughing at me right now, Jiiya," Tsurugi said. "To think they have gifted me the power that I need—the power comes from a  _scorpion_ —the very thing that killed  _Nee-san._ "

Jiiya hoped his master would never know how deeply close that statement was to the truth.

"Well,  _Bocchama,_ someone of your status should never be mocked, even if they are gods. You may reprimand the gods for their lack of decorum."

Tsurugi's pale face lit up in a faint smile at the butler's reminder of his name's significance.

"The man who will tear down even the gods with a sword's slash." Suddenly, he stumbled, only to be caught by Jiiya's steady hands.

"Any god-slashing will have to wait until tomorrow,  _Bocchama_."

"I suppose you're right, Jiiya. Even I need my rest."

Tsurugi was rewarded with one of Jiiya's rare chuckles, which echoed in the lonely depths of the manor. His insides glowed with the warmth of pleasure. Though the nightmares still came more often than he liked, having Jiiya seemed to help alleviate some of the pain. Jiiya really was the best butler—and companion—that a lord could have.

 _Tonight, _I shall rest, one more time,__  Tsurugi drowsily thought as he clambered into his canopy bed. _For tomorrow, I go to war._

_All Worms are my enemy. And I will not stop until every last one of them is dead._

**The End**


End file.
